IPA recipe critique

Firstly, by my reckoning you used/will be using 9 ounces of hops. Your IPA will be very hoppy!

I also note 7 different varieties of hops. I personally have never used so many different varieties of hops in making an IPA so I have no baseline to judges how these will all ‘play’ together.

Just make sure you maintain a proper fermentation temperature and please report back how this beer tasted to you.

Good luck with your IPA!

Cheers!

 

2-Row should be mashed. Did you do a proper mini-mash or just steep?

 

"Steeped grains@ 148 for 30min." You are correct that 2-row should be mashed but the majority of the 2-row would have been converted in 30 minutes. Given that only 1 lb. was used this should not be too big of a deal.

I suppose we should ask the OP how much water was used for steeping.

Cheers!

 

Oh, I missed that part in the OP. So, he did do a partial mash pretty much.

 

Well, the missing information is steep/mash thickness: how much water did he steep with.

Cheers!

 

You steeped/mashed at 3.43 quarts/lb. The rule of thumb for mashing is a thickness of 1-2 quarts/lb. So, your thickness is less than ideal.

A base malt like 2 row should ideally be mashed:

· A mash thickness between 1-2 quarts/lb.

· Maintain a precise mashing temperature (typically a set value somewhere between 150-158 degrees F)

· Mash for longer than 30 minutes; 1 hour typically

I am guessing that your beer will be OK since you only used a small amount of malt but next time it would be ‘better’ to follow the process detailed above.

As to whether your hop schedule will ‘work'; I have no idea.

Cheers!

 

It may be less than than ideal (ideal for what?), but Brew-In-A-Baggers mash with that kind of thickness all the time.

 

I have steeped 2-row in my extract beers before. It's supposed to add more of an "all-grain flavor" to the beer. Perhaps picking up some bready/biscuity notes that the extract may not be able to provide.

My only comment would be that I generally just add all late addition extract or corn sugar at flameout instead of 15 mins.

 

Below is from John Palmer:

“The grist/water ratio is another factor influencing the performance of the mash. A thinner mash of >2 quarts of water per pound of grain dilutes the relative concentration of the enzymes, slowing the conversion, but ultimately leads to a more fermentable mash because the enzymes are not inhibited by a high concentration of sugars. A stiff mash of <1.25 quarts of water per pound is better for protein breakdown, and results in a faster overall starch conversion, but the resultant sugars are less fermentable and will result in a sweeter, maltier beer. A thicker mash is more gentle to the enzymes because of the lower heat capacity of grain compared to water. A thick mash is better for multirest mashes because the enzymes are not denatured as quickly by a rise in temperature.

As always, time changes everything; it is the final factor in the mash. Starch conversion may be complete in only 30 minutes, so that during the remainder of a 60 minute mash, the brewer is working the mash conditions to produce the desired profile of wort sugars. Depending on the mash pH, water ratio and temperature, the time required to complete the mash can vary from under 30 minutes to over 90. At a higher temperature, a stiffer mash and a higher pH, the alpha amylase is favored and starch conversion will be complete in 30 minutes or less. Longer times at these conditions will allow the beta amylase time to breakdown more of the longer sugars into shorter ones, resulting in a more fermentable wort, but these alpha-favoring conditions are deactivating the beta; such a mash is self-limiting.

A compromise of all factors yields the standard mash conditions for most homebrewers: a mash ratio of about 1.5 quarts of water per pound grain, pH of 5.3, temperature of 150-155°F and a time of about one hour. These conditions yield a wort with a nice maltiness and good fermentability.”

Cheers!

 

“When I opened the pack of citra if was kind of a brown color” Rut-roh! How do they smell; do they smell cheesy?

Properly stored/packaged Citra hops should be green just like other hop varieties.

Cheers!

 

I have no experience brewing with brown hops that don't smell good. Personally I would be hesitant to use them.

You stated in the OP: "Will dry hop with 1oz each citra and simcoe whole hops. Pellet hops used in boil." FWIW, I personally solely brew with pellet hops (including dry hopping with pellet hops). Pellet hops in nitrogen flushed mylar bags (stored cold) will stay good for several years. Whole hops have a much shorter best by timeframe; something like 6-12 months (even stored cold).

Maybe you would be better off solely dry hopping with the Simcoe hops? How do the Simcoe hops look like & smell?

Cheers!

 

howd it turn out???